Krishnagar (West Bengal), June 5: At least 1,200 CPI(M) supporters in Pakshi village in Karimpur-1 block of Nadia district joined the BJP on Tuesday, a report in Bengali daily Ananadabazar Patrika said. According to these people, none of the Left leaders have visited them despite being attacked repeatedly by supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

They said they were encouraged to see the BJP standing behind its supporters after they were being attacked in the state. A central team of the BJP, which recently came to power at the Centre, visited the North 24 Parganas district of the state where over 20 BJP supporters received bullet injuries when they took out a victory rally. "We don't know if the CPI(M) exists or not. Our life is under threat. The ruling party's supporters have been attacking us, ransacking our houses, abusing our women. How long will we endure this? Seeing the BJP leadership's support for its supporters, we have decided to join that party," the new joinees in the saffron party said.

The local BJP leaders welcomed these people, all from minority community, in their party. They were all the more elated by the fact that so many people from the minority community joined their party. "This will help us get rid of our communal tag. We will also try to ensure full security for these people," Nadia district BJP chief Kalyan Nady said, according to the report.

The local CPI(M) leadership, however, said that they did not have any information on the exodus from the party.